Combat, Conversation
by TheBlurredLine23
Summary: Conversation: The back-and-forth play of the blades in a fencing bout, composed of phrases (phrases d'armes) punctuated by gaps of no blade action. / Sonic's not one for titles, but he needs one for the upcoming Guardian's Ball. Blaze knows just how to get him one: a sword duel with the Guardian. Sonic/Blaze. / Cover art by this kills the man.


_A/N: I never post anything anymore but here's a birthday present for my love, this kills the man (neil-degrasse-china on tumblr). It ties into a longer something I've been writing for a while but can be read as a one-shot. Enjoy!_

* * *

[~][~][~]

" _ **Combat, Conversation"**_

Between her duties as Guardian and ruling monarch, Blaze doesn't have much time to herself. She has to make room for such things, but fortunately for the both of them, Sonic doesn't mind making room for himself.

Today is more literal than most, the two of them squashed together on the same end of the red couch in the library, a tangle of limbs, official trading documents, and adventure novels.

"I'm surprised the pages haven't caught fire by now," Sonic says, turning his page.

Blaze raises a brow at him.

"Because, y'know." He pauses. "They're so dry."

Blaze swats him with a stack of said pages, eliciting a yelp and a laugh from the blue hedgehog. "Next, I'm going to write a law that prohibits such jokes."

Sonic makes a mock hurt face. "I thought you _liked_ my jokes."

"They have to be good for me to like them."

"... Ooh, that was a good burn."

Before she can shoot back a retort, there's a sharp _rat-tat-tat_ at the door. Blaze elbows Sonic sharply, causing him to wince as he moves into a normal sitting position. "Enter," she says.

A koala wearing a light blue hat pokes his head in. His eyes dart about the room briefly before turning back to the two teenagers on the couch. "Your Highness, might I have a word?"

"Of course."

"I'll keep the couch warm for you," Sonic says, grinning. Blaze swats his knee as she gets to her feet and follows her visitor into the hall.

"What did you need, Gardon?"

"The two of you, I swear," Gardon says, shaking his head a little.

"Did you come here to lecture me?" Blaze crosses her arms. "Because if you did, I _will_ find a new captain of the guard."

It's an empty threat, and they both know it—Gardon is more like a father figure to Blaze than either of their stations would suggest—but Gardon holds his tongue.

"More reading, I'm afraid." He hands her a slim envelope, a small smile on his face. "I know you have a lot to get through, but this one seems to be urgent."

Blaze takes the envelope, eyeing the "URGENT" stamped red in the corner. This isn't uncommon—every noble, it seems, thinks that their matters are more important than anyone else's, and that they are privy to the Princess's time. "Very well. Anything else?"

"What are you going to call him?"

"Call who," Blaze says, voice flatter than the stack of papers in her hands.

"You've been together some time now and…well, it is customary that the Guardian's Companion have a title." He looks at her.

She returns his gaze impassively. "Sonic doesn't like titles. You know that."

Gardon sighs, and he glances away from Blaze for a moment. " _I_ know that. But the ball is coming up, and people will be expecting—" He closes his mouth. "Just consider it. Please."

She follows where he looked—in the library, Sonic is still reading, one foot crossed over his knee now, bouncing to a beat nobody else can hear. Somehow he senses her gaze—he glances up, and he gives her a tiny smile before going back to his reading.

"I'll think about it," Blaze says to Gardon, but she's still thinking about Sonic's smile.

* * *

[~][~][~]

"What do you think about knights?"

It's nine hours later, and they're together in Blaze's bedroom. Sonic's lying on his back on the bed; Blaze is sitting at the vanity.

"As a social class, or in general?"

"Either." She watches him in the mirror.

Sonic pulls a ring out of thin air. "Hmm. Chivalry's not really my shtick. Lotsa rules," he says, twirling his ring lazily on one finger. "But I like swords. Why?"

"Gardon told me I need to give you a title."

"'The Hedgehog' not good enough for the Guardian, eh?"

She laughs. "I seem to remember you claimed to be a knight once."

"'Claimed?' I'll have you know I _was_ a knight. Got sacred sword approval and everything!" As if to prove his point, he gestures in the air with his right hand as if he's pointing a sword.

"In Avalon, perhaps," she says, amused. "But there haven't been knights in _this_ kingdom since my great-grandfather's days…"

"Oh." He almost sounds disappointed.

"I also seem to remember hearing that knights in those days had to challenge the current Guardian to a duel to earn their knighthood…"

He bolts upright, grinning, and there's an unmistakable twinkle in his eyes as he looks at Blaze in the mirror.

"Oh, you're on."

* * *

[~][~][~]

"Y'know, when you said a duel, I thought you meant with _real_ swords."

Blaze takes one replica rapier and her visor from the servant holding them, and she smirks. "Did you want me to get out the real, very heavy armor while we're at it?"

Sonic opens his mouth, thinks for a moment, and decides against whatever he was going to say. "Do I really need to wear the visor?" he says instead, turning pointedly away from the other servant standing beside him.

"Yes," Blaze and Gardon say in unison, though Blaze is far more amused than the indignant koala standing on a higher ledge.

Sonic mumbles something about a paper cut, but he begrudgingly takes the proffered headgear and slides it on. Blaze slides her visor on too, a fancier apparatus with a jewel in the middle of the forehead, and Sonic makes a face as if he's remembering something. Once the two of them are ready, standing a few meters apart, Gardon looks at each of them in turn.

"On your guard."

Blaze snaps to attention, drawing her sword and an intense look crossing her eyes.

"Ready."

Sonic shifts his weight from one foot to the other and twirls his sword once in his hand.

"Go!"

The word is barely out of Gardon's mouth before the clang of metal on metal echoes through the room. For a few moments, the only sounds are those of the swords and the combatants' feet as they dart about the arena.

"Come on," Sonic says finally. "Gimme something to work with."

Blaze smiles—there's the banter she's been waiting for. "You're not bad."

"Maybe, but you're going easy on me."

"I've had years of practice. I doubt your sword could take more."

"I beat _three_ knights in combat. And a king."

 _Ah yes,_ Blaze remembers, _that old story he likes to tell._ "And I suppose none of them taught you how to fight properly." Blaze is inclined to believe it a dream, and based on what Amy has said, she's not the only one. Still, while Sonic's form is rather poor, it's not as bad as she would think for someone who has never held a sword in his life. She'd say Sonic's a fast learner, but from here, it looks suspiciously like muscle memory.

He chuckles. "You 'n' Cal would get along. Or maybe him and Gardon."

This makes her laugh, and in the background, said koala frowns.

"Tell me about this Caliburn of yours."

"You've never read King Arthur?"

"Last I checked, Caliburn was not a talking sword."

He shrugs slightly, as much as he can while pushing against Blaze's blade. "Heh. A stickler, that one. Didn't like me much at first, but I wore him down."

"That's how you win over all your friends."

"Are you sure it's not 'cuz of my irresistible charm?" He flashes his teeth winningly.

"Yes, and it isn't."

"Percival would disagree," he says in a sing-songy tone.

She rolls her eyes. "She also fell off a cliff into lava."

"I jumped in and caught her."

"How noble of you."

"If you're going to imitate Caliburn, you gotta do it right. Like this—" He scowls heavily. "You fool! Insolent knave! Don't you know having fun is the least chivalrous thing you can do?"

There's a snort behind him, and when Blaze looks, there's a hint of a smile on Gardon's face.

Sonic scoffs. "Don't believe me? There's a rule book buried somewhere inside a rock because it's so boring that no one wants to read it!"

Blaze laughs at this one. Sonic drops the act, unable to stop himself from grinning—and with it, his frame.

"Well, not _all_ the rules of knighthood are bad," she says. "If I had to narrow it down to one, it'd be…"

She catches the tip of his sword and twists. It falls, clattering to the ground beside Sonic, and Blaze levels her own sword at Sonic's chest.

"To _always_ be on your guard."

For a moment, genuine surprise crosses Sonic's face. It's quickly replaced with his familiar, easy-going grin. "Cheater."

She returns the smile, sheathing her sword before moving to pick up the dropped one. "I merely took advantage of an opportunity."

"Thanks." He takes the sword back from her and slides it back into its scabbard. "Guess I'll have to try harder next time."

Blaze looks at Gardon, an eyebrow raised. He humphs.

"Nowhere in the rules does it say the challenger had to _win_ to earn knighthood." Gardon sounds like he can't decide whether to be pleased or irritated. Perhaps it's some strange mix of both. "Ultimately, it is up to the Guardian to determine if you are worthy."

Sonic's eyes go wide, and he turns to Blaze. Upon seeing her smile, he lets out a big whoop that echoes around the room.

"Kneel."

Sonic drops to one knee. Unrestrained glee radiates from his face, and Blaze can't help but laugh as she pulls her sword out again.

"Do you swear your fealty to me, and to protect the innocent to the best of your ability?"

"Of course, m'lady." He takes her free hand and kisses it. "It would be an honor to serve thee."

"Incorrigible," Gardon sighs somewhere in the background.

Steeling herself against the heat rising to her cheeks, Blaze pulls her hand free from Sonic's grasp and resumes a serious expression. "Then henceforth, you shall be known as Sir Sonic, Knight of the Wind." She touches the tip of her sword once on each of Sonic's shoulders. "Rise, my knight."

The newly appointed Knight is smiling broadly when he pops to his feet and pulls off his visor. "Neat. Do I get any cool stuff for being a knight?"

Gardon shakes his head, but he's got an amused twinkle in his eye. "You will by the ball tomorrow. First I have to make proper arrangements. If you'll excuse me, Your Highness, Sir Knight." He nods to each of them in turn and takes his leave. The other two servants take Sonic and Blaze's equipment and do the same, leaving Sonic and Blaze alone.

"That was fun," Sonic says. "We should celebrate."

"Celebrate?"

"My new status. There's usually some sort of party after, right?" He slips his hand in hers, lacing their fingers together. "What d'you think of ice cream?"

"Ice cream sounds nice."

"Cool."

He squeezes her hand, and her heart flutters.

* * *

[~][~][~]

"How do I look? This fancy enough?"

Blaze adjusts Sonic's tie, allowing her fingers to linger on his collar. "It's all right."

"All right? Not stunning?" He pretends to pick a bit of lint off her suit. "Eh, I'll take it. You look good enough for the both of us, anyway."

"You awful flirt."

"You make it too easy."

They wait in silence for a few moments just out of sight of the ballroom—Blaze can hear Gardon's voice, amplified as he introduces some nobles from a neighboring estate.

"Hey."

Sonic's voice is soft, and when Blaze meets his gaze, his eyes are warm and gentle, like the little lamps dotting the hall around them.

"Yes?"

"If I'd been fighting with Caliburn, I would've totally beat you."

The breath she'd been holding rushes out, a bark of a laugh. "Sure, keep believing that."

 _"And finally, it is my great pleasure to present—"_

"Ready?" he says, holding his hand out to her. She takes it, already feeling warmer from the contact.

"Always," she says, and as Gardon announces her name, the two of them step into the ballroom together.


End file.
